Vincent DIndy

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D'Indy, (Paul Marie Théodore) Vincent (b Paris, 1851; d Paris, 1931). Fr. composer and teacher. In 1872 he sent a pf. qt. to Franck, who agreed to teach him. As a member of Franck's class at the Paris Cons. he imbibed not only Franck's teaching, but also his lofty and idealistic attitude to art. To supplement his studies, d'Indy in 1872 became 2nd perc. player in the Colonne Orch., and from 1875 to 1879 was ch.-master of the Concerts Colonne. Public début as composer 1874. In 1876 he attended the first Bayreuth Fest., having been introduced to Wagner's mus. by Duparc in 1869, and became fervent enthusiast of The Ring. Keenly interested in education, d'Indy in 1894 accepted invitation from Bordes to join him and Guilmant in founding the Schola Cantorum for the study of church mus. In 1900 this became a general mus. sch. at which d'Indy taught comp. until his death, becoming sole dir. in 1911. His teaching methods are described in his 3-vol. Cours de Composition, written in assoc. with A. Sérieyx. His pupils incl. Satie, Auric, Roussel, Turina, and Roland-Manuel. D'Indy was also active in assisting Lamoureux to introduce Wagner's works to Paris, was a champion of Debussy, and revived the mus. of Monteverdi, Rameau, Gluck, and Bach. He wrote several books (incl. biography of Franck), toured as cond. abroad, ed. old mus. (incl. several Monteverdi operas), and pubd. colls. of folk-songs. His comps. are characterized by rich orchestration, a vein of folk-like melody, and often employ Franck's ‘cyclic method’. Chief among them are:OPERAS: Le Chant de la cloche (1879–83); Fervaal (1889–95); L'Étranger (1898–1901); La Légende de Saint-Christophe (1908–15); Le Rêve de Cynias (1922–3).ORCH.: La Forêt enchantée (1878); Wallenstein, trilogy (1874–82); Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français (Symphonie Cévenole) (1886); Istar (1896); 2nd Sym. (1902–3); Jour d'étéà la montagne (1905); Le Poème des rivages (1920–1).CHORAL: Sainte Marie-Magdaleine, cantata (1885); Sur la Mer (1888); Deus Israël (1896).CHAMBER MUSIC: 3 str. qts.; vc. sonata; vn. sonata; pf. quintet; str. sextet.PIANO: Promenades, Schumanniana, Menuet sur le nom de Haydn, Conte de fées.

Vincent D'Indy , 1851–1931, French composer. D'Indy was a pupil of César Franck. In 1894, Charles Bordes, Guilmant, and d'Indy founded the Schola Cantorum, Paris, of which d'Indy was composition teacher and, from 1911 until his death, director. His methods of teaching are largely embodied in Cours de composition musicale (3 vol., 1903; rev. ed. 1950), of which he was joint author. D'Indy wrote 13 operas, including Le Chant de la cloche (1879–83); several music dramas; Symphony on a French Mountain Air for piano and orchestra (1886); the symphonic variations Istar (1896); songs; chamber music; piano works; and three additional symphonies.

D'Indy, Vincent (1851–1931) French composer and teacher. He co-founded the Schola Cantorum for the study of church music (1894), which became a general music school. D'Indy taught composition here until his death. Cours de Composition outlines his teaching methods. His pupils included Satie. He composed several operas, orchestral, choral, chamber and piano music.